Attorney sends letter about odor issues

The attorney for Laketown Township sent a letter earlier this month to Republic Services pointing out the company’s obligations regarding a composting operation that is the source for ongoing odor complaints.

On March 2, 2026, the attorney wrote, “It is critical that Republic address this matter promptly and effectively, as the status quo is not acceptable or sustainable.”

Republic has received the correspondence, according to the township.

The letter is another way the township is working to eliminate the foul smells.

Odor complaints

Residents have been complaining for the last 2 to 3 years about increased odors from Cocoa Corp., a composting operation on Republic’s property, 4368 60^th St. between the I-196 and U.S. 31 overpasses.

The owner of Cocoa Corp., Adam Brent, acknowledged strong odors do come from the composting material, especially when the windrows – large piles of compost material — are turned, which they must be by state law five times in a 15-day period. The material is turned Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. but not on weekends.

In the letter, the township attorney said the composting facility is allowed to operate due to planned unit development agreement approved by the township in 2015 that lists requirements and responsibilities of the operator.

In the 2015 documents, Cocoa said it would cover the compost piles. The piles have not been covered.

Documents also state Cocoa will “maintain reasonable conditions regarding emission and transmission of injurious or obnoxious noise, fire … smoke, dust, dirt, litter, odor … and other similar considerations having an effect on public safety, and general welfare of the people of the surrounding area.”

If the composting operation complied with the 2015 documents, “the odor issue will be much improved if not eliminated,” the township attorney wrote. “However, if the Republic composting operation is not in compliance with all of the relevant documents, Republic is in violation of its contractual obligations to the Township, as well as in violation of the Township’s zoning ordinance. The Township has no intention of continuing to tolerate any such violations.”

The attorney asked Republic to advise what actions it plans to take to be in compliance, “so that the Township can monitor the odor issue and decide what if any enforcement and other legal action it must take at this time to protect itself and its residents.”

Reporting odors

Township officials toured the composting facility in October to see first-hand the source of the complaints. Township Manager Stephanie Fox has met with Republic, Cocoa and state officials about the issue.

The township has been directing complaints to the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy which investigated the site over the summer at the request of Laketown Township.

EGLE investigated the site multiple times last year and no violations were noted.

To report an odor, record your address, the date of the smell, the time of the smell, the wind conditions and other relevant description such as whether it is a garbage-related odor or a compositing/organic odor so EGLE can identify a pattern and help determine if the source is the transfer station or the compost operation.

Send your complaint to office@laketowntwp.org. The township will dispatch a staff member to the site, pass the complaint on to EGLE, and to Republic Services and Cocoa.